The present invention relates generally to medical devices. In some embodiments, the invention relates generally to medical devices used for monitoring the condition or state of a patient.
Medical devices used for monitoring the condition or state of a patient may include diagnostic monitoring equipment, external medical device systems, implantable medical devices (IMDs), or combinations of such equipment, systems, and devices. As is known, IMDs can be used to monitor and/or treat patients suffering from a variety of conditions. Examples of cardiac IMDs may include implantable hemodynamic monitors (IHMs), implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), cardiac pacemakers, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacing devices, and drug delivery devices. Such IMDs are generally used to monitor the electrical activity of the heart, while some of the IMDs are also used to provide electrical stimulation to one or more of the heart chambers, when necessary.
IMDs generally utilize a plurality of electrodes and/or other sensors. In cardiac medical devices, for example, electrodes can be used to monitor the electrical condition and/or state of the patient. These electrodes are typically situated on one or more leads extending from such medical devices and positioned at corresponding locations within or proximate to the heart chamber. In use, the electrodes sense electrical signals within the cardiac tissue of the heart, and subsequently pass analog signals (e.g., corresponding to the sensed electrical signals) back to the medical devices. Within the medical devices, these analog signals are typically converted to digital signals, which are, in turn, stored within memory of the devices or transmitted to further devices having memory. As is known, for each electrode or other sensor which transfers analog signals corresponding to a cardiac parameter, one or more electrical components are located within the medical device in order to digitize the analog signals and/or condition such transmitted signals prior to their storage. In devices designed to subsequently provide therapy when necessary, such digitized signals are analyzed, e.g., by a controller within the device, so as to provide the appropriate therapy from the device.
What is needed are medical devices which enable the above-described general monitoring functionality, yet have more efficient designs. In turn, such devices may be less expensive to build. In addition, by making the devices more efficient, less space within the devices may be required in providing the above-described general functioning. As a result, the devices can be made more compact in size, or alternatively, such excess space can be further used in making the devices more versatile in their overall functioning.